Riviere de Galets Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s heading our way for the next couple of weeks at Riviere de Galets (Réunion). Straight up, it’s a bit of a frustrating outlook for paddle surfers. The first real chance of anything decent doesn’t kick in until Wednesday the 8th of July, and even then, it’s not a total winner. We’ll have a long gap of nothing worthwhile right at the start, from now through Tuesday morning.

Tuesday 7 July is a write-off. We’ve got a strong cross-onshore breeze from the SE at 25 mph, rain showers, and messy conditions all day. The morning sees a 6 ft S swell, period 13 seconds, with a combined energy of 2157 – moderate energy – but the wind just ruins it. Afternoon gets bigger, up to 10 ft from the SSE, but the period drops to 8 seconds and the wind stays nasty. Not for surfing.

The first real chance to paddle in comes Wednesday morning, 8 July. The swell is still solid at 8 ft from the SSE with a 10-second period, but the wind is a moderate cross-shore from the ESE at 16 mph, so it’ll be lumpy. The combined energy is 1593, moderate. It’s only a marginal call, but if you’re a solid intermediate, you might find a few.

Wednesday afternoon is the standout in terms of size – 12 ft from the SE, period 10 seconds, combined energy of 2433 (moderate-strong). But here’s the kicker: the forecast says this is too big for this break, and the cross-shore wind at 22 mph will make it a lumpy mess. This one’s for experts only, and the conditions still aren't clean.

Thursday 9 July gives us a bit of a change. Morning has a clean, cross-off breeze from the E at 12 mph, and swell drops to a more manageable 6 ft from the SE, period 9 seconds, with a combined energy of 1147 (moderate). It’s still only a marginal forecast, but the clean conditions mean it’s your best look in the first week. The winds are light enough to give the waves some shape, and for a reef-and-point setup like Riviere de Galets, that cleanliness is gold. The water is sitting at a warm 77°, which is a touch warmer than normal for the time of year – nothing crazy, but pleasant.

From Friday 10 July through to Tuesday 14 July, we’ve got a run of moderate cross-shore winds from the E, with swell around 5 ft to 8 ft, but conditions remain marginal at best. It’s not terrible, but it never really gets clean enough to fire properly. A long-period SW groundswell pushes through on the weekend (11th and 12th) with periods up to 16 seconds and combined energy jumping to 2214 and even 3133 on Sunday morning. That’s a lot of energy and long lines, but it’s still cross-shore wind, so expect a cross-chop on the face. The point break here should handle the long period better than a beach break, so it’s not all bad.

Sunday 12 July is probably the pick of the second week for paddle surfing. Morning has a cross-off breeze from the ENE at 12 mph, giving clean conditions, and a beefy 8 ft SW swell with a 15-second period. Combined energy is 3133 – that’s strong wave energy, and with the right wind, it’ll throw up some proper walls. Afternoon wind shifts to cross-shore, so the morning session is the one to chase.

After that, Monday 13 July holds onto some decent SW swell (7 ft, period 14 seconds) but the cross-shore wind keeps it from being a standout. From Tuesday 14 July onwards, the energy starts to fade, and the wind stays stubbornly cross-shore or cross-onshore, with swells dropping below 5 ft by mid-week. The long-range stuff around 21-22 July shows another pulse of big swell (8 ft, SSW, 14 seconds, energy of 3270) but the wind is howling from the SE at 25-28 mph, so that’s more for the kitesurfers than us.

Best on offer: If I had to pick one true standout, it’s Thursday 9 July morning. Clean glassy conditions with a cross-off breeze, a manageable 6 ft SE swell, and the point will be clean and lined up. It’s not a massive day, but it’s the most user-friendly window for intermediates. For the bigger wave hunters, Sunday 12 July morning is the one – big SW groundswell, clean enough, but that’s only for the experienced crew.

So yeah, it’s a mixed bag. Not a classic run, but there’s a couple of windows to get wet if you pick your moments. Stay tuned, forecasts can shift.

Rusty.

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